Well, until my girls and mom arrived with dinner and chocolate to cheer me up.
Parker
THREE DAYS LATER I was back at work, feeling remarkably well, considering. Doc had run tests and discovered there were major issues with the fetus, so it never had a chance. If I hadn’t taken the pregnancy test, I probably would have assumed I was having a really bad period and I told myself that if it had to happen, I was glad it happened so early.
I’d had an ultrasound and Doc determined everything was exactly as it was supposed to be. I’d need to take things easy for a few days, but the worst was over. Rabbit hovered a little, but he didn’t smother me, as we tried to get back to normal.
And my new normal was Rabbit working with me. At least for a few days. I didn’t argue, mostly because I really needed him, and he always gave me what I needed.
“You want somethin’ for lunch?” Rabbit asked.
I looked up from the arrangement table, realizing I hadn’t eaten anything since six o’clock this morning. “Oh, yes, that’d be great. I’m starving.”
He frowned. “Why are you ‘starving’? I gave you a granola bar two hours ago.”
I grimaced.
“Parker,” he pressed.
“What if I kind of got distracted and kind of forgot to eat said granola bar?”
Without a word, he turned on his heel and left the room, returning surprisingly quickly and shoving the granola bar at me. “Eat it.”
I bit back a laugh because he had his serious face on.
“Pebbles, don’t.”
I couldn’t stop myself from breaking into a full-blown rendition of Weird Al’s “Eat It,” complete with choreographed dance moves straight from the video.
Rabbit dropped his head back with a laugh, rushing me and lifting me off my feet. “Jesus you’re a nut.”
“I’m your nut.”
“Hell, yeah you are.” He kissed me, setting me on my feet. “Now, eat. I’ll go grab you a sandwich.”
I grinned up at him and nodded. “Thanks, honey.”
“I don’t see you eating.”
I peeled the packaging and shoved some of the granola in my mouth. “I’m eating,” I mumbled.
He walked out again, and I swallowed the food, suddenly ravenous. Finishing my snack, I went back to the table.
“Parker?”
“Hm?” I looked up to see Dice standing in the doorway.
“There’s a lady out front who wants something really specific and Stevie went out for lunch.”
“Oh, okay,” I said, wiping my hands and grabbing a clean apron, donning it as I followed him out to the front. A woman was perusing my annuals. “May I help you?”
She turned with a smile. “Hi. Yes. I’m actually looking for Lisianthus’.”
“Oh, my word, those are one of my favorites. I don’t have any in stock, but I can get them for you.”
Her face brightened. “You can? You’re the sixth florist I’ve gone to, and no one’s even heard of them.”
“Well, I love them.”
“Excellent. How soon can you get them?”
“How many would you like?”
For the next ten minutes, we discussed all the particulars and she even prepaid the full amount on the promise I have them delivered by Friday. Lisianthus’ didn’t last for very long, which meant I had to time the delivery right, so they wouldn’t die on me.
“Holy shit, she just gave you three-grand for flowers,” Dice breathed out.
I smiled. “It’s her twentieth wedding anniversary, so it’s an important party for her.”
“That’s a fuck of a lot of money to spend on something that’s gonna die within a day or two.”
I chuckled. “Not if they make her happy.”
“How do you know so much about flowers?” he asked, as I pulled out my wholesaler contacts.
“My grandmother.” I smiled, the memories flooding me. “She and I spent hours working in her garden and greenhouse. She was my best friend until I met Willow and Jasmine.”
Before Dice could comment, Rabbit walked in carrying food. “Everything okay?”
I smiled. “Yep. Just had a big sale.”
“Good. Come eat.”
“Just gotta do one thing…”
“Baby, you need to eat,” Rabbit argued.
“After—”
“Parker,” he said, his voice low in warning.
I noticed Dice turn on his heel and walk toward the back and I stared up at my husband. “Zane, I need to call my vendors to see who can get me these flowers by Friday. You need to give me ten minutes.”
He dropped the bag on the counter and opened it, pulling out a sandwich. “Take a bite, then you can have your ten minutes.”
“It’s not like I’m going to die right here if I don’t take a bite.”
“Parker Adeline McCormick, take a bite of the fucking sandwich,” he